ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To study the relationship between the DNA content in follicular epithelial cells of the human thyroid and postmortem interval (PMI).@*METHODS@#Changes of the DNA content in thyroid follicular epithelial cells at different PMI were determined by Methyl Green-Pyronin (MGP) stain combined with an image analysis technique.@*RESULTS@#The average DNA content in the thyroid follicular epithelial continued to decrease with increased PMI. The coefficient of determination for DNA content with average gray, aimed area, aimed area ratio and positive index in follicular epithelial cells were 0.960, 0.987, 0.988 and 0.990, respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#There is an apparent correlation between the average DNA content of follicular epithelial cells and the PMI. MGP stain combined with an image analysis technique seems to be a useful means to study the degradation of DNA in thyroid follicular epithelial cells.